


Warmth That Lingers

by torasame



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Awkward Tsukishima Kei, Criminal Kuroo Tetsuro, Detective Tsukishima Kei, Doctor Kageyama Tobio, Doctor Sugawara Koushi, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Police Officer Sawamura Daichi, Sherlock AU, Tsukishima Kei Being an Asshole, We dont know how, Well hes more of a forensic scientist, Well will never know how
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:49:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24999373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torasame/pseuds/torasame
Summary: It all started when the most dangerous self proclaimed consulting criminal, Tetsuro Kuroo, took the world's only consulting detective, Kei Tsukishima, on a rendezvous that would up the ante of their game of stalemates that was starting to get a little too bland for his tastes.(sherlock au)
Relationships: Kuroo Tetsurou/Tsukishima Kei
Comments: 11
Kudos: 46





	Warmth That Lingers

**Author's Note:**

> This came from a crack shot idea from rewatching Sherlock with my friend. If you're said friend in question is reading this then I took it seriously my dude. I was not playing around.
> 
> (Important Disclaimer)  
> A lot of the scenes here are from Sherlock (BBC) I had to fit the plot I made into an episode. I transcribed 5 pages worth of dialogue from season 2 episode 3: The Reichenbach Fall. Which you can go check out for the original scenes. I would like to thank Mr Stephen Moffat and Mr Mark Gatiss for the dialogue I borrowed. I did have to cut it down aand alter some of it since verbal dialogue doesn'talways translate well in writing and I had to fit it into the context of the narrative.
> 
> I own absolutely no rights to the scenes I borrowed. Sherlock in itself belongs to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And Haikyuu belongs to Haruichi Furudate. I just came here to vibe with some wack idea I made up.
> 
> I'll have the info on the specifics of this AU at the end notes. I also left in these scenes from the series so non Sherlock fans could follow along. I also used said scenes because had I attempted to make my own, this fic wouldn't have been written in 2 weeks tops and would have never seen the light of day. With that being said, forgive the bullshit deductions at the start I was either high tapping away and hoping it would make some sense. Then again, that's how I make all of my fics.
> 
> Please keep in mind that I did try to retain the personalities of each of the characters instead of fitting them into the mold of the characters in the series. Tsukishima and Kuroo are a bit of exceptions since they do match up with Sherlock and Moriarty.
> 
> No, I do not ship Sherlock and Moriarty. Yes, I am aware that this sounds like a fix it fic for the pair and I promise it isn't. I barely ship anyone in the show. Sherlock and John included. I watch it to get into the right headspace, romance just gets in the way of the cases.
> 
> Please do not mind the bullshit deductions I made up on the spot. They're a string of words I tried to make some sense out of. Also, my court knowledge is limited to the wise words of wisdom of Harvey Specter please bear with me. Let's just say i took creative liberties.
> 
> With that ramble aside, final shoutout to my friend Jez who is an angel. Thank you for tolerating my texts at unholy hours after your duties. You are the best thank you for consoling my uncertain ass.
> 
> Anyways, happy reading.  
> (edit: a scene got cut out while publishing so I plopped it back in. Fixing things here and there since I never seem to proofread any of my works.)

_"Is there something on my face?"_

_Kuroo was quick in pulling on an easy smile. His mess of hair hung over his eyes more than usual and a few strands stuck out in the strangest directions._

_"Oh nothing, I was imagining how you'd look dead. Unconscious is the closest thing I can get to that I'm afraid."_

_Kei squinted at the half blurry image resting beside him before reaching to the bedside table for his glasses. "First thing in the morning and you're still as morbid as ever."_

_Kuroo flopped back into the nest of pillows he had stuck his head into the night before, "I'm quite consistent with my appearances."_

_Kei made his way out of the bed, reaching over for his coat that hung on a rack by the door. He had managed to tie his scarf on when Kuroo finished evening out the few creases on his blazer and throwing it on._

_"Straight down to business, aren't we?"_

_"If we linger any longer, whoever is after you is going to have a one up on us. Time is of the essence."_

_Kuroo laughed loudly while they walked down the hotel corridor, throwing an arm around Tsukishima's shoulders. "Detective Kei Tsukishima, is it me, or are you restraining yourself from jumping about this case?"_

_"Well aren't you a morning person," Kei muttered as they made their way into the elevator._

_"It's exciting isn't it?" Kuroo's golden eyes sparkled with mischief and something Kei couldn't put his finger on. He had a way with always being so unpredictable and Kei couldn't find himself from going along with the chase. "These are the stakes of the game you've never really seen before, have you?"_

_There was a dull thrumming in his limbs and sparks slowly igniting one another in his mind. His lip curled upward slightly._

_"You were wrong."_

_Kuroo cocked his head to the side._

_"There are no restraints here," Kuroo's arm fell back to his side as Kei took quick strides out the elevator door. "I just haven't had my coffee yet."_

_He peered over his shoulder to find Kuroo catching up to him at a slower pace and with amusement creeping on his features._

_"Well if you're certainly not settling for the rubbish here, are you?"_

_"Certainly not," Kei made a show of the card in between his fingers. "It seems my dearest brother is buying us coffee from that pricey place down the road."_

_Kuroo gasped, "Mr Tsukishima? Paying for our date? How kind of him. I'll be sure to return the favour in the near future."_

_The security cameras all turned away as they fell into step in the hotel lobby. They made it out into the busy London streets and trudged along with the crowd._

_-_

_"There are two of them."_

_Kuroo frowned over the rim of the cup. Kei fiddled with the handle of his own, his eyes were fixated on the couple on the other end of the shop. Kuroo bit into the straw and watched Kei expectantly._

_"Go on then."_

_"They're both foreign. Mercenaries by the looks of it. Their skin complexion says Nordic, backed up by their lack of thicker clothing in this kind of weather— clearly they're used to it. Her coat was only recently released about two weeks ago in the Danish branch and has yet to be released here. The way the man's fingers wrap around the cup mimic how they rest on his gun— 'but he could just be some enthusiast' but what kind of enthusiastic sniper would travel all the way to London to fire some rounds? Why sniper? You can see the bruising beneath his arms and several scars, his work requires crawling and laying on his stomach as he waits for a target. He sits hunched over but tends to adjust his form when he feels conscious—"_

_Kuroo held a hand up in front of him. "Hang on I got a brain freeze."_

_"Tongue to the roof of your mouth."_

_"Yeah, got it," Kuroo seemed to have complied, his expression twisted into a slight grimace before he spoke again, "the woman's our killer."_

_Kei waited for him to recover._

_Kuroo pointed to his eyes, "glasses. No prescription. Yellowed. Fake. The best disguise is hiding in plain sight but you'd still need to put one effort into it. The sniper was an automatic. Magnusson over there taps against his glass between intervals. He works with semi automatics."_

_He took a sip from his straw. "Though he might be responsible for something else."_

_Kuroo's eyes found his, "what?"_

_"I'm impressed."_

_"You were getting to it, weren't you?"_

_Kei shrugged, "I'm not really used to anyone keeping up."_

_"Then you haven't been with the best company," Kuroo grinned. It widened slightly as his eyes drifted past Kei's shoulder. "Someone's on the move."_

_The couple had tidied their mugs and plates and were now headed for the exit. He and Kuroo downed the rest of their caffeine. They waited a few beats before following suit._

_"I should've known picking the seat opposite to the window meant something."_

_Kuroo nudged his arm, "it meant admiring my own beauty from the glass."_

_"I'm wounded in your lack of faith and appalled in your unreasonable narcissism."_

_"Come on Tsukki, you know that's not true," he winked as he held the door open, "like I said, you needed to know what good company was like."_

_They fell into step down the pavement, loosely tailing the Nordic couple a few feet ahead._

_"So, the Danish fashion line."_

_"Mr Takeda likes leaving the fashion channel on while he grades papers."_

_"You don't need to be ashamed, Kei."_

_"Up ahead, they have company." He and Kuroo faltered near the edges of the crowd, spectating the scene. "Government officials, they all dress a certain way out of work."_

_Kei noticed the sweeping gazes from the group, he positioned his slightly taller frame in front of Kuroo._

_"Tsuk—"_

_Their lips were pressed together. Kuroo's arms carefully wrapped around his waist as his lips moved in tandem against his almost stilled ones. He pulled away slightly, keeping his voice below a whisper, "any movement?"_

_Kuroo's eyes surveyed the scene. The space between them was closed once again._

_"There was a brief exchange. Information based by the looks of it. Possibly payment. But it looks like the deal was prolonged, we were right, they're going to start moving again soon." The group had scattered and they were back to trotting down the street once more._

_"So we need to narrow down the suspects."_

_"There's quite a handful of connections I have here," Kuroo stated, "but there are only very few in London that really matter."_

_"What are you doing?"_

_Kuroo made a show of swaying their linked fingers, "you made such a nice cover it would be a shame to blow it over inconsistency."_

_"I got it from a soap opera my brother watches," Kei glanced over at his companion. "You're enjoying this too much."_

_"I would never," Kuroo's free hand rested it over his heart. "But my lips are much warmer now."_

_Kei narrowed his eyes, "you sod, it was your fault for drinking iced coffee."_

_"Well aren't I lucky you drink warm caffeine. We were made for each other Tsukki!"_

_Kei gladly gave into the urge to roll his eyes._

_"I'll make sure to punch you as cover next time."_

_"No you won't," Kuroo beamed at him, "we both know it's impractical and besides, I've always known you had a thing for me."_

_"Nothing is stopping me from killing you once we reach the hotel."_

_He felt Kuroo lean closer to him, nuzzling into the fabric of his scarf, "but where'd be the fun in that?"_

_-_

"You're up late."

"Since when have you been monitoring my sleep schedule?"

Koushi set the kitchenware on an unfilled (fortunately) away from the laboratory equipment. "You say that as though there is a schedule to monitor."

"Good morning," Kei waved before slamming the bathroom door shut.

"Afternoon more like it!" Koushi called back.

-

"Daichi has a case for you."

Kei rested his violin on his lap, gently tapping his bow with a finger. "If it were interesting he would've come here himself."

Koushi looked over from his laptop, "he could just be busy, y'know?"

Kei groaned, throwing his head back to stare at the cracks in the ceiling.

"He did say it was important." He shrugged.

Kei set the instrument aside as Koushi ran through the facts of the case. Some man had gone MIA in the strangest circumstances and as always, the police were out of their depth.

"Well this'll be good for the blog."

He reached for the glass his flatmate had set aside earlier and took a sip. The coffee had gone lukewarm but the faintest hint of warmth still lingered on his lips.

"You need to wear the hat."

He set the mug aside and caught what Koushi had tossed to him, "is it really necessary?"

Koushi laughed, "everyone loves the hat."

Kei begrudgingly hung it over his mop of blonde hair, "name it something interesting this time."

The doctor stuck his tongue out and made his way down the stairs to greet their landlord. "We'll see you in a bit Mr Takeda."

"Good luck out there, boys!"

Kei tugged his coat closer before extending his arm out to the street.

"Taxi!"

-

_"You knew Akiteru was after you, didn't you?"_

_Kuroo fell back into the armchair, "what good of a consulting criminal would I be if I didn't know who'd be sniffing my trail?"_

_Kei chuckled, "so this is why you brought me along."_

_"Don't be silly, Tsukki. I merely extended an invitation to you. You came along on your own accord," he crossed a leg over the other, "if I'd be stuck with those boring old cases— I'd probably jump at an opportunity like this too. But I gotta admit, who wouldn't pay to see a good old Tsukishima vs Tsukishima."_

_He took the armchair across him. "You seem confident that I'll stay with you on this case."_

_His counterpart sat up straighter and steadied his gaze on him, "something tells me you wouldn't mind sticking up to your brother just this once."_

_"The coffee here isn't rubbish."_

_Kuroo chuckled, "the owner is a decent guy. Figured he was worth keeping. Guess it turned out well."_

_"On the topic of connections, we could just settle everything."_

_"Oh? What've you got in mind?"_

_"Well with my brother on the case, it's obvious he's weeding you out. We'll play right into his hands if we track down whoever they're after next," Kei pressed his palms together, "they're after something you have and they certainly need you alive."_

_"Ugh 'not rubbish' is an understatement. I'll have a word with old Willy sometime. He might be able to put that coffee place out of business," Kuroo downed the rest of the mug before setting down on the table between them. "Your brother is much smarter than you are Kei. He understands the fun of keeping me alive."_

_"You're still breathing, aren't you?"_

_"Yes I know you adore me Kei, you're still my favourite Tsukishima brother," Kuroo cooed before his face mellowed and his mouth set itself in a straight line. "But I have to admit, being alive can be quite a chore. Is this plan going to make things a little more exciting?"_

_Kei shifted his weight and let his elbows rest on his thighs with his hands grazing over his lips. "What exactly does my brother want from you."_

_"As I said before, Mr Tsukishima wants to make it to the centre of my web and take it apart," he sighed, "I wouldn't really give a shit because I could just string together another one— but I've got a certain system I'd rather not have dismantled. For the good of the public, really."_

_He couldn't help allow the laugh to escape from the base of his throat. "Who would've seen the day a consulting criminal decided to care about the public well being? Are you stealing from the Sheriff of Nottingham now?"_

_Kuroo's face twisted into a smirk, "that depends, will you be my Maid Marian? But I cross my heart Kei, nothing scheming here."_

_"Then you know what needs to be done then?"_

_"The Sheriff needs to see Robin Hood die."_

_"What? Too much of a challenge?"_

_There was a glint in Kuroo's golden eyes, "I think you're finally stepping up in this game of stakes, Tsukki."_

-

_"Y'know," a voice cut through the dark of the room, "I'm not sure if it was just a cover thing— but you were quite stiff."_

_Kei unsuccessfully attempted to burrow further into his pillow, wishing it would cut whatever bullshit Kuroo was onto now._

_"Have you ever kissed anyone before, Kei?"_

_"No," he responded, deciding it would be easier to bury the topic if he responded, "why would I."_

_"So you've never been on any other cool spy missions, huh?"_

_"Is this heading somewhere?"_

_He felt Kuroo shift over to face him— or his back rather. Some part of him told him to turn over as well. It would make it easier to strangle him quicker._

_"You aren't saying that I'm Kei Tsukishima's first kiss?"_

_"Why do people fuss over such a trivial thing."_

_The covers shifted as Kuroo shuffled closer. He could still make out his glowing eyes that seemed to shine brighter with mischief. "Well by their standards, it's a bit romantic isn't it?"_

_He glared at the Irishman. "Logic doesn't agree with romance."_

_"It's the price we have to pay for knowledge," Kuroo exhaled quietly, "but do you ever wonder what it'd be like to be normal?"_

_There was only one word that came to mind, "boring."_

_Kuroo snorted, "right you are. But it wouldn't kill you to think about it."_

_"And where would the point in that be? Normal people are less efficient."_

_"But it's a bit intriguing isn't it? They're needs and wants are so simple. They live their lives in blissful ignorance. They've got it easy without even realizing it!"_

_"I see you've thought about it then."_

_"Of course not," Kuroo scoffed. "But I'd imagine I've probably decided to settle down or something domestic like that."_

_"Goodnight Kuroo."_

_"I bet you'd still be something nerdy, Tsukki. I'd probably try to snatch you up. If we were normal, we'd totally work out."_

_"But we aren't normal," he shut his eyes and awaited sleep to take hold of him, "there is no excuse to justify ignorance."_

_Kuroo's laugh managed to register in his fading consciousnesses, "right you are, Kei Tsukishima."_

_-_

The fogged window was covered in the slight traces of rain. It was the usual view one would see from London. The melody from his violin drew him out from his reverie, urging him to play as though the voice of Bach himself had haunted the notes.

The music urged him to ponder on other things but his mind came up blank— refusing to hand over information and keeping him locked from his mind palace. It refused to indulge him in anything else but memories from months before.

His bow retracted from the strings and the music stopped. Of all times, why now?

"Kei?"

What was his brain trying to tell him?

"Kei!"

He turned to find Koushi gripping onto the door frame for dear life. "I just got off the phone with Daichi. Kei this is something big."

He grabbed his scarf and hurried down the stairs behind Koushi.

"Boys…"

His arm barely made it into the sleeve of his coat when they both stepped into Mr Takeda's dining area. The image on the telly began to break apart in static with a distorted voice slowly gaining volume.

And there, in clear view, was a portrait of Tetsuro Kuroo with a square bit of his mouth cut and animated to make it seem as though he was talking. Four words on loop and suddenly the world shifted off its axis.

**Did you miss me?**

-

"But that's not possible," Koushi stated. "You said it yourself Akiteru, you saw Kuroo shoot himself in the head."

Akiteru continued pacing around his office, the umbrella in his grip growing to look more like a potential weapon every time he swung it around.

"He's a criminal mastermind, surely he must've pulled an ace up his sleeve."

"So somehow, Kuroo cracked the security system of Pentonville Prison and the Bank of England. He also managed to break the casing surrounding the crown jewels?"

"With a diamond, yes," the older Tsukishima brother said, finally opting to fall into his seat. "Nothing was stolen—"

"And yet, we can trace it back to Kuroo," Kei met his brother's eyes. "How?"

"He left a message."

The three turned to face the monitor on the wall. There was a faceless figure in all black in front of the display. They pulled out a marker and spelled out the words " **Get Kei"** before pressing a single diamond with a piece of adhesive and effortlessly smashing through the glass.

"We haven't tracked down the suspect, but we can't rule out Kuroo as a possibility."

"So Kuroo's alive," Kei caught his side glance. He couldn't decipher it.

"I can't put a finger on your tone, little brother," Akiteru started, "I wonder if you're relieved."

"None of us had any assurance that Kuroo was actually dead," he fired back, "it was naive of you to let your guard down, brother of mine."

He turned to head for the door.

"I need you to crack this, Kei."

"What? Not clever enough?"

He found his brother's grim expression. It didn't look good on him. "Because this time, we can be certain that Kuroo will no longer be a threat."

He walked out the door.

-

_"You'll need to get back to Baker Street."_

_Kei looked down at his phone. "I'll get moving once we part ways."_

_The metal stairs creaked as Kuroo began to ascend them. There was a brief pause as they waited for the minutes to tick by._

_"I guess this is the end of the line."_

_He could only make out the faint outline of his feature from his profile against the moonlight. Kuroo was a few steps above him._

_He shrugged his shoulders, "more of a fork in the road to be precise."_

_"That makes it sound as though we'll meet again."_

_"Won't we?"_

_The question seemed to have wiped Kuroo's usual likeness away. If it hadn't been so dark, Kei would have mistaken it for something close to sincere._

_"I'll always find a way back to you, Kei."_

_There was the ever present cheap and playful smile and wink before Kuroo turned away and made his way up the steps. Kei could only stand and watch before heading down the opposite way._

_Their estimations were almost on point, within a few minutes, the quiet corner of London was swept away by the sheer force of a helicopter and a single building was illuminated against the rest of the night._

_Kei couldn't help but look up at the rooftop. He could only make out Kuroo's upper body from where he was and yet somehow, Kuroo's golden eyes found him. They remained like that while a radio static accented voice filled the air._

_In the light, he could see the smile on Kuroo's face. It's softness contrasted his sharply cut suit and angular face. Kei was caught in a daze._

_And suddenly, Kuroo turned away. The wind was in his hair and further animated his laugh. He couldn't hear it over the roar of the chopper._

_But it couldn't mask the unmistakable fire of a gun._

_Kuroo's body dropped out of his view._

-

"On with it then."

Kei blinked, "pardon?"

Koushi crossed his arms over his chest from where he stood against the window. "You and Kuroo must have done something. You were together on the night of his death. There's no way he managed to escape, let alone fake a bullet to the head."

"What exactly are you asking me."

"Oh nothing much, just wondering if you somehow had _anything_ to do with the fact that Kuroo is probably still out there."

Kei stared back blankly before replying.

"We had a plan—"

His flatmate threw his hands up, "bloody hell—"

"Calm down, Koushi—"

"You colluded with Kuroo, Tetsuro Kuroo the _consulting criminal_ , on some elaborate plan to let him live—"

"It's not that simple." Koushi's words died in his throat. He made his way over to his couch and ungracefully fell into it. Kei wrung his fingers together.

"Whatever Akiteru was after then was something worth keeping Kuroo alive but didn't necessarily put him on the grounds for charges," he said, "Kuroo said he was after the system in his web of connections— only that he couldn't let that happen since keeping that system in tact was for the 'good of the public.'"

Koushi laughed, "like hell I'd believe that." He stopped. "You're serious?"

"Kuroo wouldn't go through the lengths of risking his life to keep it intact. If he had other motives he would've done everything it took to stay alive. _I_ made the plan."

"And you convinced him to follow along."

Kei exhaled, "I'm not sure I did."

The couch creaked as Koushi leant over, "well he's out there making all these things happen and I haven't the faintest clue why you thought it was okay to keep him alive."

"Because the game is still on. No one can leave that easily."

-

"They found him."

Kei and Koushi snapped their attention to the Chief Detective Inspector at the door.

"Got a call from another station. They apprehended someone who confessed to the crime. They say it's Kuroo."

Koushi found his voice first, "what comes next?"

"The court date, a trial," Kei replied, unable to keep himself from rising from his seat.

"It's been set. Kei, you'll be a prime witness for the prosecution." Daichi turned to the doctor, "please do all you can to prepare him for it."

"I don't need to be 'prepared.'"

Daichi and Sugawara shared a look. He walked over to give the doctor a pat on the shoulder. "Good luck there, Dr Sugawara."

His flatmate sighed and Kei had no clue what was going on.

"Good luck on what? I just need to present the facts accurately—"

" _Stick_ to the facts, Kei. Don't go interrogating the jury," Kei stared at the officer.

"Well it isn't my fault if the jury is composed of a bunch of incompetent—"

Koushi sighed louder. "I've got my work cut out for me."

-

"All rise."

The inhabitants of the courtroom obliged.

"Who's that?" Koushi whispered beside him. Their gazes fell on the defence attorney and the mop of faux blonde hair with black roots slowly growing out. Kei's features narrowed.

"The defence would like to clear up a statement before we begin," the lawyer in the first chair said.

"Proceed."

The man beside him stood up and made his way in front of the table in slow, deliberate steps. His body positioned itself slightly sideways, like an actor never turning his back on his audience.

"Your Honour, we would like to call for a mistrial."

"And why is that?"

His sleeted eyes glinted like that of a cat. "Because Tetsuro Kuroo is dead."

The room suddenly burst into life but the words from the stranger who was caught in the dead centre of the media's cameras sank deep into Kei's bones and froze him cold. There were no traces of a lie and Kei found himself searching to no avail.

"There is no proof that I identified myself as Kuroo Tetsuro, Your Honour so I believe this trial cannot move forward."

"But Your Honour, we have proof that he committed the crime."

"Wrong," the stranger's tone was quiet and soft. The air seemed to grow colder as he spoke. "You have proof _Tetsuro Kuroo_ committed the crime. Which is, inadmissible I might add."

And just like that, the gavel dropped and everything around him moved instantaneously. His eyes were fixed at the stranger before him. The man moved slower than everyone else, unfazed by the noise. His gaze met Kei's briefly before they were both dragged in different directions and swallowed by the crowd.

-

"Kuroo had a theory about you liking Bach," Kei brought the music to a stop, allowing the unfinished piece to die away into the air as he carefully set his violin on the desk. "But I wonder how you live just ending it like that."

"There is no use in feeling guilt. It won't bring a dead man back to life."

"Of course," the man replied curtly.

Kei turned to him, the faux blonde was a couple inches shorter than he was, but he appeared much smaller with his hunched shoulders.

"May I?"

"Please."

They both took a seat across from each other.

"Kenma Kozume," he said. "I never formally introduced myself. Or met you properly, for the matter."

Kei rested his chin on his palm, "what is a tech person like you doing on a hands-on operation."

"Kuroo wasn't kidding. You're scarily observant." Kozume said flatly with a slight grimace on his expression. "We were childhood friends, if you were wondering. I'd like to get that out of the way before you come up with some creepy analysis."

"Hard to believe Kuroo actually had some form of sentimental connection."

Kozume's fingers tapped against the arm of the chair. "It's more likely than you think." He crossed his legs. "He always went on about how you'd be pleased."

"With what? The verdict."

Kozume shrugged, "with him. Back in the game. Figuratively speaking of course. He complained about 'missing out on the show.' _'Every fairytale needs a good old-fashioned villain,'_ he said _._ "

"You got to the jury of course."

"I got into the Tower of London. Twelve hotel rooms aren't much. Every one has a personalized TV screen. Kuroo used to say every person had their pressure points. Someone they want to protect." He took a sip from the teacup on the coffee table.

"He said something about this being your _final problem._ " The tapping stopped. "Oh, have you told your friends yet?"

"Told them what?"

"Why I broke into all those places and took nothing?"

"No," he blew the steam from his tea.

"But you understand."

"Obviously."

Kozume waved for him to continue.

"You didn't take anything because you didn't need to." Kozume hummed at that. "You'll never need anything again because nothing in the Bank of England, the Tower of London or the Pentonville prison could match the value of the key that could get you into all three."

Kozume watched him, he almost looked bored, "I can crack any door with a simple line of computer code. Nothing is hidden from me. In a world of locked doors, the man with the key is king."

"You were advertising in the trial. With the world watching you wanted to show them what you had and how quickly you could settle things because of it and yet I don't understand," Kei leaned forward, "you can do virtually anything and yet you care about the highest bidder?"

"Kuroo said it was funny to watch them all compete. ' _Aren't ordinary people adorable?'_ "

"So, what's really going on here."

"Honestly I would tell you but Kuroo asked me not to because he wanted you to 'have fun' at my expense. How troublesome. He wants you to solve the problem. The final problem. He said he owed you a fall."

"I never liked riddles."

"You're gonna have to learn to," Kozume said, standing up. "Oh and Kuroo left a definitive message after all that cryptic shit. _I owe you._ "

"Why bother sticking to the word of a dead man?"

Kozume shrugged, "because one player dying doesn't mean the game is over. I should be on my way. Good luck, Tsukishima."

With that, Kozume was up and out the door. Kei took hold of his violin and resumed the piece. Bach be damned.

-

"Akiteru, if you're going to ask me for a behavioural report I'm afraid I'm going to have to turn around and leave and tell the nice lady driver to take me back to Baker Street."

"It's strictly tradition, Koushi."

The doctor scoffed, "so total silence is traditional is it? You can't even say 'pass the sugar.'"

The older Tsukishima brother continued pouring into the glass, "Three quarters of the diplomatic service and half the government front bench all sharing one tea trolley? It's for the best, believe me. They don't want a repeat of 1972," he winced at the thought. "But we can talk in here, besides, it's a bit more dramatic isn't it?"

Koushi refused the urge to roll his eyes as he slumped into a seat. A bundle of newsprint caught his eye. "You read this stuff?"

Akiteru offered him a glass, he shook his head. The blonde cradled his own glass and took the seat across.

"I'd love to know where they get their information," he murmured, scanning the page.

"Someone called Richard Brook. Recognize the name?"

Koushi set the paper aside, "school friend of Kei's?"

Akiteru chuckled quietly, "that's not why I asked you here."

"I'm still quite prepared to leave."

He passed him a short stack of files. Koushi propped one open, "Who's this?"

"Don't know him."

"No."

"Never seen his face before?"

"Hm…"

"He's taken a flat at Baker Street two doors down from you."

"I was thinking about doing a drinking thing with the neighbours."

Akiteru laughed, "I'm not sure you'll want to. Sulejmani. Albanian hit squad. Expertly trained killer, living less than twenty feet from your front door."

"Well it's a great location. Jubilee line is handy."

"Koushi…"

"What's this have to do with me?" Akiteru gestured to the files. He was met with a candid of a woman on the sidewalk.

"Dyachenko, Ludmilla."

"Actually, I think I have seen her.."

"Russian killer. She's taken the flat opposite."

"Okay, I'm starting to see a pattern here."

"In fact, four top international assassins relocate within spitting distance of 221b. Anything you'd like to share with me?"

"Hah. I'm moving?"

There was a moment of amusement that passed over Akiteru's face. "It's not hard to put two and two together."

"You think this is Kuroo?"

"He promised Kei he would come back, albeit it be in the form of the man known as Kenma Kozume."

Koushi's brow furrowed. Had Kuroo anticipated his death? Had he truly taken his own life on that rooftop just as Akiteru and Kei reported. Kei had never divulged the facts of the escape plan. 

Was Kuroo alive? Was he pulling the strings behind all this?

"Why don't you ask Kei if you're so concerned about him," he barely caught the hesitation in Akiteru's features, "oh, don't tell me."

"There's too much history between us, Koushi. Resentments."

"Nicked his dinosaur figures? Trick him into believing in Santa?"

Akiteru frowned. "We both know what's coming, Koushi. Kuroo was obsessed, he was sworn to destroy his only rival." Koushi got up and made his way to the door.

"So you want me to watch out for your brother because he won't accept your help."

Akiteru's smile was tight, "if it's not too much trouble."

There was a pause before Koushi nodded slightly before making his way out of the Diogenes club.

-

There was an envelope settled on the steps leading to the door. Koushi brought it up. It was the standard yellow but it was sealed with a velvet coloured seal. It was the size for money or cheque mail but it was thick and filled. He tore it open and a powdery substance littered his shoes. Bread crumbs?

"What the—"

"Pardon me," he briefly moved out of the way as a man carrying a ladder made his way in. Mr Takeda must have had problems with the lighting again.

He pocketed the strange mail before and ascended the stairs of the flat.

"Kei, something weird— what's going on?"

Kei, Daichi and the female Sergeant turned to him.

"Kidnapping," Kei said curtly.

"Rufus Bruhl, the Ambassador to the US."

"He's in Washington isn't he?" He inquired.

"Not him, his children. Max and Claudette. Aged seven and nine. St. Aldate's." Daichi continued.

The female sergeant crossed her arms as they watched Kei pace the room. "Posh boarding school down in Surrey."

"The school broke up, other boarders went home, just a few kids remained. Including these two. The kids have vanished and the Ambassador asked for you personally," the inspector's supplication was pointed to Kei who had stopped in his tracks before grabbing his coat and descending the stairs without another word.

"The Reichenbach Hero," muttered the female sergeant. Koushi attempted to overlook the sarcasm.

-

"Miss Mackenzie. House Mistress. Please go easy on her," Kei offered Daichi a side glance before heading straight for the woman wrapped in a shock blanket.

"Miss Mackenzie, you're in charge of pupil welfare, yet you left the place wide open last night! What are you, an idiot, drunk or a criminal? Now, quickly," he grabbed the blanket and threw it off her shoulders, "tell me!"

There was a quiet moment of shock before she stammered in her Scottish accent, "All the doors and windows were properly bolted. No one, not even me, went into their room last night. You have to believe me!"

Kei offered a smile, "I do. I just wanted you to speak quickly. Miss Mackenzie will need to breathe into a bag now!"

-

"Six grand a term, you'd expect them to keep the kids safe for you," Koushi supplied as they made their way down the corridor, "so all the other kids had left on their holidays?"

Kei examined the sister's room, looking over the pile of books and the racket beneath her bed. He unclasped her trunk. There was a torn package.

"They were the only two sleeping on this floor. The intruder must have been inside some place," Daichi guessed.

It was a hardbound copy of Grimm's fairy tales. He flipped past the pages before deeming it unnecessary for the moment. He made his way to the brother's room.

"The boy sleeps here every night, gazing at the only light source outside in the corridor. He'd recognize every shape, every outline. The silhouette of everyone who came near the door."

"Okay, so?" Daichi asked.

"So someone approaches the door who he doesn't recognize. An intruder. Maybe he even saw the outline of a weapon." To make his point, he stood outside, in front of the door with his fingers up to mimic a gun. "What would he do in the precious few seconds before they came into the room? How could he use them if not to cry out?" He made his way deeper into the room.

"This little boy, this particular little boy, who reads all of those spy books. What would he do?"

"He'd leave a sign?"

There was a faint smell. It was blunt and with a condensed sweetness. It was something quite familiar. It reminded him of paint and the kitchen. Kei knelt down and found a bottle. "Get Kageyama."

-

The worlds "Help Us" were scrawled on the wall and visible under the harsh blue light.

"Linseed Oil."

Kageyama shrugged indifferently, "not much use. Doesn't lead us to the kidnapper."

"Brilliant Kageyama!"

"Really?"

"Brilliant impression of an idiot. The floor," he subjected the mahogany to the harsh light.

"He made a trail for us?" Koushi inquired, as they followed the path.

"The boy was made to walk ahead of them. Tiptoes, indicates anxiety. Gun held to his head." They made it to the hallway. "The girl was pulled beside him, dragged sideways. He had his left arm cradled around her neck."

"And that's the end of it. We don't know where they went from here. Tells us nothing after all."

"You're right, Kageyama. Nothing." The three Scotland Yard employees walked away. "Except his shoe size, his weight, his scale, his walking pace."

Kei reached up to rip a blind open before stooping down to scrape a sample of the shoe print with a scalpel. Koushi settled beside him.

"Having fun?"

"Starting to."

"Maybe don't do the smiling." They stared at each other. "Kidnapped children?"

"Ah."

-

"How did he get past the CCTV? If all the doors were locked."

The rest of London passed by from the cab window.

"He walked in when they weren't locked."

Koushi eyed him skeptically, "a stranger can't just walk into a school like that."

"Anyone can walk in anywhere if they pick the right moment. Yesterday, end of the term; parents milling around, chauffeurs, staff. What's one more stranger among that lot? He was waiting for them. All he had to do was find a place to hide."

-

"Hitoka!"

The short blonde woman turned to face them. "Oh, hello! I'm just going out."

"No you're not." Kei grabbed her around the shoulders and steered her back to the labs.

"I've got a lunch date."

"Cancel it," he pulled two packets out of his coat pockets, "you're having lunch with me."

"What?"

"I need your help. It's one of your boyfriends. We're trying to track him down. He's been a bit naughty."

"It's Kuroo," Koushi said.

"Of course it's Kuroo."

"Tetsu actually wasn't my boyfriend. We went out three times, I ended it."

"Yes, and since then he stole the crown jewels, broke into the Bank of England and organized a prison break in Pentonville. Oh, and shot himself in the head. For the sake of law and order, I suggest you avoid all future attempts of a relationship, Hitoka."

-

"Oil, Koushi. The oil in the kidnapper's footprint. It will lead us right to Kuroo. All chemical traces in his shoe have been preserved. The sole of the shoe is like a passport. If we're lucky, we can see everything that he's been up to."

He subjected the samples to different chemicals. Analyzing them under the microscope.

"I need an analysis."

"Alkaline." He jotted it down.

"Thank you Koushi."

"Hitoka."

"Yes."

There were four known substances he managed to uncover. Chalk, asphalt, brick dust and vegetation. That was until a memory surfaced into the forefront of his mind.

"I owe you," he enunciated, "IOU, of course. Glycerol Molecule." He smiled to himself. Kuroo's name was written all over the case.

_"You consume an unholy amount of fish."_

_"It's to keep my DHA levels in check. I wouldn't want to be deficient there. Unlike Yaku."_

_"Yaku?"_

_"Chap in my year back in Tokyo. Tiny guy he was. Definitely deficient. We argued all the time."_

"Kei? What do you mean by 'I owe you?'"

The memory faded into the air. "Nothing. Mental note."

"You're a bit like my dad. He's dead— oh wait, sorry." He continued to observe the microscope.

"Hitoka, please don't feel the need to make conversation, it's really not your area."

"When he was dying, he was always cheerful, he was lovely. Except when he thought no one could see. I saw him once, he looked sad."

"Hitoka."

"You look sad. When you think he can't see you." Somehow, their gazes both ended up on Koushi.

"Are you okay? Don't say that you are, because I know what it means. Looking sad when you think no one can see you."

He turned to her, bemused, "you can see me."

She shook her head, "I don't count."

Kei was thoroughly confused.

"What I'm trying to say is that if there's anything I can do, anything you need, anything at all, you can have me. No! I just… I mean…" she stammered for a response. "If there's anything you need. It's fine."

"But what could I need from you?" He couldn't grasp what she was getting at.

"Nothing. I don't know, really. But you could probably say thank you?"

"Thank… you?"

"I'm just going to get some crisps. Do you want anything? Ah— it's okay, you don't really eat while working." She left the lab.

He hadn't the faintest clue what she meant.

"Kei."

"Hmm?"

"This envelope, it was in her trunk. There's another one." Kei trotted over to the table covered in evidence photos. "On our doorstep. Found it today." Koushi walked over to his coat, "exactly the same seal."

"Bread crumbs."

"It was there when I got back.

"A little trace of bread crumbs, a hardback copy of fairy tales. Two children led into the forest by a wicked father follow a little trail of breadcrumbs… that's—"

"Hansel and Gretel."

"Jack and Jill—" they said at the same time. Kei made his way back into his mind palace before realizing his mistake.

"Kei I'm starting to believe you truly don't know the Earth goes around the Sun. But to the task at hand— what sort of kidnapper leaves clues?"

"The sort that likes to boast. The sort that thinks this is all a game. Kozume sat in our flat and said the exact words to me. _All fairytales need a good old-fashioned villain._ The fifth substance— PGDR."

"What's that?"

Kei was already by the door. "It's used in making chocolate."

-

"I think we're looking for a disused sweet factory."

Daichi looked over the swarm of investigators under search, "we need to narrow it down. A sweet factory with asphalt?"

"No, no. Too general. Need something more specific. A thinner brand of geology." Kei paced forward, "building site. Bricks from the 1950s."

"There's thousands of building sites in London."

"I've got people searching."

"So have I!"

Kei stared at the officer blankly, "homeless network. Much more efficient. More lax about taking bribes."

His phone decided to ring at that moment. He made a quick show of waving it before swiping through the photos. The very last one caught his eye.

"Koushi," he offered the screen to his flatmate, "Rhododendron Ponticom. Matches. Addlestone."

"Addlestone?" Daichi asked, looking up from a search network.

"There's a mile of disused factories between the river and the park. It matches everything."

-

"Spread out! Everyone spread out!"

Only the faintest amount of light was filtered through the cracks in the warehouse ceiling. Stray droplets of water dripped from the pipes, accompanied by the dozen footsteps scattering and echoing around the area.

There was a short candle surrounded by what seemed to be wrappers. Kei ran to it and pressed his thumb into the middle of the wax. It had just hardened with the traces of warmth still lingering.

"This was alight moments ago. They're still here!" He called out, the footsteps continued to scurry further and further.

"Sweet wrappers. What's he been feeding you?" He took a whiff of the discarded wrapper, there was no scent of chocolate. There was no scent at all. He tasted a corner and drew back. Metallic. "Mercury. The papers. They're coated with Mercury. Lethal. The more of the stuff they ate…"

"It was killing them," Koushi blurted out.

"It's not enough to kill them on its own. Taking large enough quantities, eventually would kill them," he turned to Koushi, "he didn't need to be there for the execution. Murder by remote control. He could be a thousand miles away. The hungrier they got, the more they ate, the faster they died. Neat."

"Kei."

Kei quickly dropped the grin.

"Over here!" They snapped their attention to the call. "We found them."

-

"Right then. The professionals have finished. If the amateurs want to go and have their turn." The female sergeant led them out of the waiting room.

"Remember, she's in shock and she's just seven years old so you might want to tone down the…" Daichi started.

"Tone down the whole 'me' thing."

"Yeah, it'd be a bit helpful."

Daichi opened the door. The little girl was seated beside a caretaker. He slowly crouched down to her eye level.

"Claudette I…" he barely had the chance to speak when she screamed hysterically. Daichi pulled him out of the room and shut the door.

-

"She's just traumatized. Something about Kei reminds her of her kidnapper "

Koushi met his eyes as he worried on his bottom lip. Kei shifted away.

"She's never even seen him before."

"Kuroo must have done something to make her believe I was her kidnapper."

"Kuroo?"

"Or possibly Kozume. But this had to be Kuroo's plan."

"He's on to it again," they both looked up as Daichi strode with a fuming sergeant by his side. "Talking about this 'Kuro' bloke."

"It's _Kuroo,_ " the other three said simultaneously.

"Whatever his name is, he's _dead,_ freak. Get it into your system."

"He may be dead, but he was a calculated criminal. It would be naive to think his influence dies with him."

She turned to Daichi, "are you seriously going to keep believing him? You know what you saw in there."

"What's she said?" Koushi interjected.

She sighed, "hasn't uttered another syllable."

"And the boy?"

"Still in Intensive Care."

The windows of the building across twinkled before all the lights remained still. There were three letters spray painted onto them.

**I O U**

"Don't let it get to you, Kei. We'll take care of it from here," Daichi left the room. Koushi followed after him.

Kei pulled away from the window once the lights flickered.

"Brilliant work you did, finding those kids from just a footprint. It's really amazing."

Kei nodded as he reached for the door, "thank you."

" _Un_ believable."

-

Koushi stuck his arm out to hail a cab. Kei fell to his side, his breath punctuated with a puff of fog.

"You alright?"

"Thinking," he replied as the cab rolled in. "This is my cab, you get the next one."

"Why?"

"You might talk," he shut the door.

-

The night was quiet and his mind was still. It needed to settle down before firing back up. He needed to sit in the centre of his thoughts, preparing for the counterstrike. The streetlights passed him by, meeting his eyes in passing.

" _...nation, this is stunning evening wear sent from us here in London…"_

"Could you turn that off please?"

The screen began to glitch from beside the driver's seat.

"Could you turn this off?"

Anything else died in his throat when a pair of golden eyes stared back at him through the glitches in the screen. He could barely register the voice that emitted from the speakers.

" _Hello. Are you ready for a story?_ "

Tetsuro Kuroo sat in the middle of a blue screen, with a book settled on his lap. His eyes gave the impression of a wolf in sheep's clothing. It bore the stiffness of the acted kindness most children programmes tended to portray— but they were cold, sinister and omnipotent.

" _This is the story of Sir-Boast-A-Lot. Sir-Boast-A-Lot was the bravest and cleverest knight at the round table. But soon, the other knights began to grow tired of his stories. About how brave he was and how many dragons he'd slain. And soon began to wonder—_ " the pause was punctuated by an exaggerated expression of thought, " _are Sir-Boast-A-Lot's stories even true?_ "

There was a thunderstorm in the background.

" _So, one of the knights went to King Arthur and said, 'I don't believe in Sir-Boast-A-Lot's stories. He's just a big old liar who makes things up to make himself look good.' And then,_ " thunder clapped behind him, " _even the king began to wonder. But that wasn't the end of Sir-Boast-A-Lot's problem— No. That wasn't the final problem._ "

There was that smile. That playful, plastic smile. "The end."

The screen returned to the programme. Kei scrambled to collect his thoughts.

"Stop the cab!" The vehicle pulled over by the curb. Kei stepped out and peered into the driver seat. There was no one there. The cab drove in the distance before he could say another word.

"Look out!"

Someone grabbed onto his arm and pulled his frame onto the sidewalk, narrowly avoiding the speeding car. Kei regained his balance, extending his hand to the hooded man. "Thank you."

The man took his hand and two shots fired into his chest. Kei staggered back, following the course of trajectory to the unlit line of buildings lined up on the street.

"Kei!"

-

"It's him. It's him. Sulejmani or something. Akiteru showed me his files. A big Albanian gangster who lives two doors down from us."

The paramedics wheeled the body into the ambulance.

"He died because I shook his hand."

"What do you mean?"

"Saved my life but any further contact and he was shot. Why?"

-

Kei rushed over to his laptop as soon as they reached the flat. "Four assassins, living right on our doorstep. They didn't come here to kill me. They have to keep me alive. I've got something that all of them want. But if one of them approaches me…"

"The others kill them before they can get it."

There were four different wifi networks. All named in various languages, but all within relatively close distance. "All the attention is focused on me. There's surveillance closing in on us right now."

"So what've you got that's so important?"

Something clicked in his head. He swiped an area of his desk with his finger.

"We need to ask about the dusting."

-

"Precise details in the last week, what's been cleaned?"

"Well Tuesday I did your lino—"

"No, in here," Kei gestured to the living space he and Koushi occupied. "This room. This is where we'll find it. Any break in the dust line. You can put back anything but dust. Dust is eloquent."

He continued to search around the room.

"What's he on about?" Mr Takeda whispered to Koushi.

"No one knows at this point."

"Cameras, we're being watched." Kei stepped on the coffee table to get a higher vantage point of the bookshelves. His head barely missed the ceiling at that height.

"What? Cameras? Here?" The doorbell chimed. "I'll go get that."

The volumes of books lined up had an even coat of dust on them. Except the last one, on the very corner. It wasn't tucked in neatly like the others. He pulled it out and reached for the minute camera that was attached on the bookshelf. A familiar padding of footsteps trotted into the room.

"No, Inspetor. The answer is no."

"You haven't even heard the question."

He stepped off the coffee table. "You want to take me to the station. Just saving you the trouble of asking."

"Kei.."

"The scream?"

Daichi sighed, "yeah."

"Who was it? The Scottish one? I bet it was the Scottish one. Am I somehow responsible for the kidnapping. Ah, Kuroo is smart. He planted that doubt in her head. The little nagging sensation you got to have to be strong enough to resist. You can't kill an idea can you," he stood up once he was satisfied with testing the little camera on his laptop. He walked toward the inspector. "Not once it's made home," he poked Daichi's forehead, "there."

"Will you come?"

Kei returned to the desk, "one photograph. That's his next move. Kuroo's game. First the scream, then a photograph of me being taken in for questioning. He wants to destroy me inch by inch. This is a game, Daichi, and not one I'm willing to play. Give my regards to the sergeant."

Daichi left without another word.

-

"He'll be deciding."

Koushi looked away from the window, "deciding?"

"Whether to come back with a warrant to arrest me."

"You think?"

Kei shrugged and adjusted his glasses, "standard procedure." He could see himself on his screen.

"You should've gone with him. People will think."

He met his eyes, "I don't care what people think."

Koushi crossed his arms, "you'd care if they thought you were stupid or wrong."

"No, that would make them stupid or wrong."

"Kei, I don't want people believing you're a…"

The detective's eyes narrowed. "A what?"

"A fraud," Koushi said quietly.

Kei closed his eyes and inhaled. "You think they're right."

"What?"

"You're worried they're right about me."

"No."

"That's why you're so upset. You can't even entertain the possibility that they might be right, you're afraid that you've been taken in as well."

"No," the doctor stated, "I'm not."

"Kuroo is playing with your mind too, can't you see what's going on?"

Koushi scoffed, "no I know you for real."

"One hundred percent?"

"Nobody could fake being an annoying sod all the time."

They both laughed at that.

-

"Looks like we've still got some friends on the force," Koushi pocketed his phone, "that was Daichi, says they're all coming over here right now. Queing up to slap the handcuffs. Every single officer you ever made feel like a tit. Which is a lot of people."

There was a knock on the door. Mr Takeda emerged from behind it. "Oh, sorry, am I interrupting? Some chap delivered a parcel. I forgot." He passed it over to Kei. "Marked perishable, I had to sign for it."

Kei tore the paper open.

"Funny name. German. Like the fairy tales."

In it, a single gingerbread man.

"Burnt to the crisp," Kei murmured.

"What does it mean?" 

The doorbell rang, "I'll go get it."

There were muffled conversations from down below.

_"Kei!"_

_"Pardon me, Mr Takeda."_

_"We need to talk to you!"_

Koushi descended the stairs.

_"Don't just barge in like that!"_

Kei wrapped his scarf around his neck and adjusted his coat.

_"Have you got a warrant? Have you?"_

_"Just… just leave it Koushi."_

-

"Kei Tsukishima, I am arresting you on suspicion of abduction and kidnapping." The handcuffs clicked onto his wrist.

"It's alright, Koushi."

"No it's not," Koushi turned to Daichi, "he's not resisting. This is ridiculous."

"Bring him downstairs, now." Kei was escorted by two other officers out the door.

"You know you don't…"

"Don't try to interfere, Koushi. Or I'll have to arrest you as well."

He kept Daichi's gaze. His brown eyes looked apologetic before he ducked his head and left the room.

Koushi turned to the other officer in the room, "you done?"

"Oh I said it. First time we met," the female sergeant said.

"Don't bother."

"Solving crimes won't be enough. One day, he'll cross the line. Now ask yourself, what sort of man would kidnap those kids just so he can impress us all by finding them?"

"Sergeant." Koushi's response was cut off by the man that entered the room.

"Sir," she replied curtly.

"That's our man?"

"Yes sir."

"Looked a bit of a weirdo if you ask me. Often are, these vigilante types."He met Koushi's eyes, "what're you looking at?"

-

The police car shook as Koushi's body collided on it's side.

"Joining me?" Kei asked beside him.

"Yeah, apparently it's against the law to chin the Chief Superintendent."

"Bit awkward, this."

Koushi sighed, "well there's no one to bail us."

"I was thinking more about our imminent and daring escape."

"What?"

The radio in the passenger seat buzzed as a robotic voice broke through and signaled to every officer with an earpiece. Kei made a grab for it, adjusting the frequency dial to a sound made for dogs. He pocketed the officer who had suffered from the sound abuse and pulled his pistol.

"Ladies and gentlemen, will you all please get on your knees?" 

They all stared at him like a flock of deer caught in the headlights. He fired two shots into the air. "Now would be good!"

"Do as he says!" Daichi exclaimed, lowering himself to the ground. The other officers followed hesitantly.

"Uh just so you're aware! The gun is his idea! I'm just, uh, y'know."

Kei pointed the gun to Koushi's head. "My hostage!"

"Hostage," Koushi exhaled, "ah yeah that works." They backed away into the street. "What now?"

"Doing what Kuroo wants, becoming a fugitive— run."

The both took off, a handcuff linking the hands between them. Orders were barked behind them, they kept going.

"Hang on, Koushi!" Koushi took hold of his wrist as they turned into a corner. The gun fell out of Kei's hand.

"The gun!"

"Leave it!"

Kei climbed over a fence door.

"Kei stop." He felt Koushi grab the back of his coat, still stuck on the other side. "We're going to have to coordinate."

"Move to your right."

-

"Everyone wants to believe it. That's what makes it so clever," Kei stopped to check a corner. They back up at the sound of a police siren passing. "A lie that's preferable to the truth. All my deductions were just a sham. No one feels inadequate. Kei Tsukishima is just an ordinary man."

"What about Akiteru? he could help us."

"If he thinks I want a reconciliation? Now's not really the moment."

"Kei! Crap! We've been followed. I knew we couldn't outrun the police."

The figure peeked from the wall across them. "That's not the police. It's our neighbour from Baker Street. Let's see if he can give us some answers."

Kei tugged them forward.

"Where are we going?"

Kei pulled them to the road. "We're going to jump in front of that bus."

And as expected, the man ran into both of them, knocking them onto the pavement. Kei located his holster and pointed it toward the assassin. 

"Tell me what you want from me."

The man held his hands up, "he left it at your flat?"

"Who?"

"Kozume."

"What?"

"The computer key code."

"Of course," Kei breathed out, "he's selling it. The programme he used to get into the Tower. He planted it when he came round."

A round of gunshots echoed in the street. Kei managed to locate a handcuff key in the man's pocket.

"This code, it's a game changer. It could break into any system and it's sitting in our flat right now. That's why he left that message. He was telling everyone where to look. 'Get Kei.' We need to get back to the flat and search."

"CID will be cramped up. Why plant it on you?"

"It's another subtle way of smearing my name. Now I'll be best pals with those criminals."

They found a secluded alley as a temporary place to standby. Koushi reached for the newspaper tucked in a box.

"Yeah, well have you seen this?"

Kei scanned over the article Koushi held out. It outlined his semi public rivalry with the mastermind known as Tetsuro Kuroo. It divulged into an alarmingly detailed recountment of his own childhood.

Kei couldn't help but laugh by the end of it.

"Can he do that? Completely change his identity? Frame you as the criminal? Make it seem like Tetsuro Kuroo was just _Richard Brook?_ The actor you hired as your arch nemesis?"

"He's got my entire life story. That's what you do when you sell a big lie. You wrap it in a truth to make it more palatable."

"It's your word against his."

"He's been sowing doubt into people's minds for the last twenty four hours. There's only one thing he needs to do to complete his game and that's to…" all he could see was the smile that left a lingering warmth in his memory.

"Kei?"

Kei walked ahead, checking for any signs of the police. "There's something I need to do."

"Can I help?"

"No," he retraced the map of London he had pictured in his mind, "on my own."

He ran into the night.

-

Hitoka collected her things, walking over to the light box to close the lab for the night.

"You were wrong, you know." She yelped, her consciousness nearly jumping out of her skin. Her eyes found Kei, hunched over by a table. "You do count. You've always counted and I've always trusted you. But you're right. I'm not okay."

She stepped towards him. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Hitoka, I think I'm going to die."

"What do you need?"

Kei took a breath, "if I wasn't everything that you think I am, everything _I_ think I am, would you still want to help me?"

Beneath her frail demeanor, she almost looked determined, certain. It was strange for her to be the one anchoring him down. "What do you need?"

"I need your help."

-

The sound of the door opening behind him prompted him to speak. "Have you seen your brother's address book lately?" He guessed Akiteru had a hand over his chest from the shock. The doctor glanced over his shoulder. "There are only two names listed on there. Yours and mine and he certainly didn't get anything from me."

Akiteru took the seat across, looking defeated. "Koushi…"

Koushi crossed his legs, "so how does this work, then? Your relationship. You go out for a cup of coffee now and then, eh? You and _Tetsu_ ? Your own brother and you blabbed his entire life story to this _maniac_?"

"I never intended…" Akiteru started, "I never dreamt.."

"This, this is what you were trying to tell me, isn't it? 'Watch his back 'cause I've made a mistake.'" Koushi sighed, "how'd you meet him?"

Akiteru's grip on his umbrella handle tightened, "people like him, we know about them. We watch them. But Tetsuro Kuroo, the most dangerous criminal mind the world has ever seen. And in his pocket, the ultimate weapon, a key code. A few lines of computer code that could unlock any door."

"So a few months ago, you went after him, to try and find this keycode?"

"We had gotten him prior to that. Interrogated him for weeks, but he wouldn't play along. He just sat there, staring into the darkness. I could get him to talk, just a little but…"

Koushi ran a hand through his hair, "in return, you had to offer Kei's life story."

The older Tsukishima brother nodded grimly. Koushi gathered his thoughts.

"So there's this big lie, Kei's a fraud. But people swallow it because the rest of it is true. Kuroo wanted Kei destroyed and you just gave him the perfect ammunition."

But that wasn't it. That wasn't all of it. Across the table between them, Akiteru knew it too. Akiteru had only given Kuroo the gun— but Kuroo had still fired it. And somehow, it seemed to have hurt Kei a lot more. He stood, ironing out the creases on his trousers before turning to the door.

"Koushi. I'm sorry."

He scoffed, "oh please."

"Tell him that, would you?"

He did not turn back.

-

"Got your message."

Kei caught the small ball as it ricocheted off the table side. He hauled himself off the floor and onto a nearby stool. "The computer code is key. If we can find it, we can use it to break into the records and destroy Richard Brook. Bring back Tetsuro Kuroo. Beat him at his own game. Somewhere in 221b, somewhere on the day of the verdict, he left it hidden."

"Did he touch anything?" Koushi asked.

"Just a tea cup, not much else."

"Did he write anything down?"

"No."

He noticed his fingers tapping against the desk. He paused, slowly replicating the action. The same pattern Kozume had tapped almost off handedly. And there it was. Beats. Digits. He grabbed his phone and texted Kuroo's old number.

_The game is on. Bart's Hospital rooftop._

_KT_

_PS. Got something of yours you might want back._

He pocketed his phone as Koushi's rang from across him.

"Speaking. What? What happened? Is he okay? Right yes, I'm coming."

"What is it?"

"Mr Takeda's been shot."

"What? How?" Kei inquired, unbothered. Though Koushi did not seem to notice in his hurry.

"Well, probably one of those killers you managed to attract. He's dying Kei, let's go."

"You go, I'm busy."

Koushi turned sharply, "busy?"

"Thinking. I need to think."

"You need to… doesn't he mean anything to you?! You once half killed a man for laying a finger on him!"

"He's my landlord."

"He's dying! Oh you know what, sod this. You stay here if you want, on your own." Koushi pushed the door open.

"Alone is what I have, alone protects me."

The aura around Koushi instantly died. There was one last glance, it was quiet and stern. "No, Kei, _friends_ protect people."

He was out the door. His phone chimed with a text alert.

_I'm waiting…_

_KK_

_-_

"Richard Brook."

Kozume was seated on an edge, tapping away at his phone. He paused what seemed to be a game and pocketed it.

"Nobody seems to get the joke. Except you of course."

"Richard Brook in German is _Reichenbach._ The case that made my name."

The shorter man got up and dusted himself off, "I had to have some sort of fun." His eyes caught on to the pattern Kei was tapping on the back of his other hand. "Oh good, you got that too."

"Beats like digits. Every beat is a one. Every rest is a zero. Binary code. That's why all those assassins were trying to save my life. It was hidden in my head, all this time."

"Kuroo had left them a message: last one to Kei is a sissy," Kozume rubbed his palms together in the midst of the cool wind that brushed past them from so high up.

"Yes, but now that it's up here," Kei gestured to his temple, "I can use it to alter all the records. I can kill Richard Brook and bring back Tetsuro Kuroo."

Kozume reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a handheld computer.

"Well go one then."

Kei eyed him skeptically. Kozume groaned.

"Believe me, the quicker this ends, the quicker I can get back to living at ease."

Kei carefully took the mobile and inputted the numbers. The device whirred as code ran rapidly down the screen.

_"Transaction completed."_

A video began to play. A figure dressed in black was crouched over the monitors of the Tower of London. The time on the upper corner dated it a few hours before the initial break in. The same thing happened for the systems in Pentonville and the Bank of England. It all amounted to a single press of a button and everything fell into motion.

The video faded from display and was replaced with a profile of a man Kei was unfamiliar with.

"Who is this?"

"Richard Brook. The man in charge of the break-ins. He'll be brought to trial, accompanied with that footage I provided personally."

"Was that why you were initially brought to court then? Harbouring evidence on a suspect?"

Kozume shrugged, "pretty much. Though I did mention Kuroo's name. I tend to do that to get some favours."

Kei watched him, unimpressed.

"And you saw right through it."

"Footage can easily be manipulated and created," Kei stated, "it wouldn't be much of a stretch for a hacker such as yourself to be able to pull such a card from your sleeve."

"I did tell you. You were owed a fall."

"A fall. A fall man."

He clapped lazily, "you're learning how to solve riddles now. He'll be the man who used your feud with Kuroo to cover up his big lie. But of course, this man's favour doesn't extend to prison, if you're worried about that sort of thing."

Kei handed the device back to him. "This still doesn't add up. Why go out of your way for this favour? Why would Kuroo set out to destroy my reputation only to avert the whole situation entirely?"

"Ah, you figured most of it out," he stuffed his hands into his pockets, "that's why you picked such a high building. You knew what he wanted you to do."

Kei stepped on the edge experimentally. "Genius detective proved a fraud. The final piece would be my suicide."

There was a light tug on his sleeve. "Yeah but you don't have to be so dramatic. It'd be a pain if you slipped." He stepped down.

"If it had been up to the Kuroo months before, you'd just be a bleeding corpse on the pavement down there."

"But?"

"It seems you've changed his mind," Kozume held out an envelope. Just like the ones from the case but instead, the paper was white and the seal was golden. "He wanted me to give you this."

It felt like glass in his own hands.

"I should get going now. You probably won't hear from me again. I won't be any trouble actually, it's too much of a hassle, these things."

"Wait."

"Hm?"

"This 'Richard Brook,' he didn't actually do any of these things did he?"

"Obviously."

"And this code?"

"Doesn't really mean much. I inputted it at the last minute. I was just tapping some Bach tune," Kozume steps faltered and he half turned to him, "oh and I just bribed the guards. It's nothing really clever. I know you were kind of expecting it to be. Just needed willingful participants."

"And I should just believe a word you've said?"

There was a glint in his eyes and a tease of a smile on his lips. Kei's intuition told him that had Kenma possessed any ounce of Kuroo's energy, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Kozume pulled the door open and promptly disappeared, leaving Kei on the quiet rooftop with nothing but the clear, pale blue sky above.

His hands shielded the still slightly warm paper from the chilly breeze. He ran a finger over the golden seal, taking a breath before breaking it delicately. He took a seat against the ledge and took the folded piece of parchment from within the envelope.

_A bit anticlimactic isn't it?_

Some part of him wanted to hurl it off the building at the first line.

_Sorry to disappoint you, Kei. I probably got your hopes up. But yeah, I've kicked the bucket! I got bored at the whole staying alive thing. I've been stuck playing with the ordinary people. After searching for a distraction I found you— my best distraction. But now I haven't even got you. Had it been a few months ago and I would've said I've beat you and talk about how ordinary you are, but now that I think about it, I'm dead and you're alive. You've clearly won this round. Maybe being on the side of the angels doesn't make you boring after all._

_Who am I kidding? You may have technically won the match (which I did give to you) but you'll be the one suffering with the boring ones now. I'm far better off than you in the long run._

_You'll miss the cases. All those thrilling chases I put you on. You'll miss having an opponent who actually makes you think. We're alike, you and I. That's always astounded me. So alike yet so different. It is for this reason that I'd like to think that some part of you will miss me. Though you obviously will, let's face it._

_They say the truth reveals itself after a man's death because he hadn't lived long enough to tell it himself. Part of me wants to argue with it, since I am very much alive writing this— but they're right for once. So huzzah, look! The truth has been revealed!_

_It must be the sentiment getting to me because I can admit that you do fascinate me. I had fun facing off against you. And working with you, for the matter. Had we met in a time where this game never existed, had we been 'ordinary' for just a moment— perhaps I would've gotten to know you better. Or hit it off with you, y'know. In case you wanted something to dream about._

_Admit it, you enjoyed my company. I wonder if you had thought about me outside of the game. Did I manage to ensnare the great Kei Tsukishima with my charisma? Had he found me devilishly handsome?_

_I bet you laughed at that last bit. No? You're right I'm getting ahead of myself. You probably frowned but are now trying to keep your face straight. Damn your pride and spare this dead man the privilege of your amusement, won't you?_

_Did you enjoy our final problem? I'm sorry about the blow to your reputation. I was quite ambitious when I planned this out. I'm sure Kenma got it sorted. You can reach out to him anytime by the way. He'd never admit it, but he was fond of hearing about you. I'm sure you can ask him a favour or two. Some part of me wonders if you jumped at the very mention of my name. Ah, is this what ordinary people call false hope? Damn sentimentality!_

_I know there are about a million questions plaguing your mind, but one sticks out from all the rest. But you'd never forgive me for giving you the answer so simply. I'm sure you've figured it out after reading through all this. Ever the clever detective._

_Well, time is running out. I've got to bring this final message to a close. You're quite cute while you're asleep. You look very calm, happy almost, to be in the purest state of being present in your subconscious. But I can tell you don't get to do it often. You should change that, y'know? There's a science to it. I know you hold it above all else._

_Goodbye Tsukishima Kei, (oh the relief of writing it the right way) the game is still on. It stops for no one and I wish you the best._

_The woman told me about something you had said. "Love is a dangerous disadvantage." Quite poetic, but very true. I can attest to it. It's why I've lost this game._

_Missing you always,_

_Kuroo Tetsuro._

_-_

"The remaining assassins have vacated Baker Street. The verdict on Richard Brook's case has arrived"

"Guilty as charged," Koushi said, setting aside the newspaper. He took the glass Akiteru poured out for him. "And this Kozume fellow?"

"Off the grid, though he doesn't pose any sort of threat now," the blonde matched his stare. "Something on your mind?"

"It's just with everything that's happened. All for a favour to a dead man? It's far too intricate for that. Surely Kozume gained something from this?"

"You're right Koushi," Akiteru took a sip of the alcohol, "Kozume seems to be Kuroo's secret right hand. He now has full control over the web of connections Kuroo had created. At least, now he does."

"Does this have something to do with you going after Kuroo a few months ago?"

"I wanted to see how far this web of his actually went. It's come to my attention that he did whatever it took for me not to," Koushi didn't attempt to hide the apologetic look plastered on his face. "Kuroo basically sent a wave of top class criminals after my brother. It was a race to see who could get to him first. And it all adds up with Kozume's statement in open trial."

"He told the world Kuroo was dead?"

"He told the world two things: one, that he was in charge now and two— that they had nothing to get Kuroo on now."

Koushi crossed his arms. "I still don't understand."

"I would've found out about Kuroo's little rendezvous with my little brother eventually," he said pointedly, "I speculate that Kuroo couldn't let me into the centre of his web because he'd lose control of very important players. And sure, normally he wouldn't give a damn but under very special circumstances he had to because those pawns knew he had someone he was protecting. They found his pressure point."

"So him sending those assassins out under the impression of Kozume's command…"

"Would be telling the world that Kei's value as a pressure point had gone out the window."

Koushi threw his head back and finished off the contents of his glass in one gulp. "That is a lot to take in."

"Why? Kuroo was only protecting his only rival. He wanted to savour the sanctity of my brother's demise at his own hands."

"No that isn't…" Koushi stopped himself. "Actually, forget I said that. Thank you for the drink, Akiteru. I'll be off to Barts now."

"Koushi."

Koushi prayed Akiteru hadn't figured it out.

"Kei. How is he?"

_"He told me he wasn't okay and I know it isn't my place to tell you but he said some pretty concerning stuff. Please come over if you're free. It'd be better to tell you in person."_

"He's been playing the violin these days. Quiet with the music as the exception."

"I see."

"You should go talk to him. You are his brother, after all."

His smile was tight, but there was a crack in the facade. "Thank you, Koushi."

-

The gentle notes of the violin greeted him usually greeted him these days. He shrugged off his coat and gazed up the steps.

"It sounds so… Sad," Mr Takeda said beside him. "Almost brought me to tears this morning. But it's never been so peaceful."

"Right you are, Mr Takeda."

He silently clambered up the steps, pushing past the half open door and into the room where Kei's profile stood by the rain stained window. By the sounds of it, the piece was slowly coming to an end. He waited until Kei came to a stop and his body untangled the knots within him.

"You alright?"

"Fine," Kei had never really spoken so quietly.

"I spoke to Hitoka," the younger Tsukishima had retracted his violin, "she told me about what happened."

"It was just a contingency plan really. Didn't need it in the end. Her help was appreciated."

There was an unsettling silence that lapsed between them.

"Kei, you can tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong."

"You've been off ever since you met Kozume on that rooftop," Koushi tried to lift the atmosphere, "still haven't forgiven you for that distraction. I was genuinely worried about Mr Takeda, unlike some people."

"There's a lot of things to sort out," Kei finally faced him. His eyes looked hollowed and his frame looked smaller than before. "I'm off to bed."

"This early?"

"I need to collect my thoughts." Kei walked past him and turned into the short corridor before his room door slowly shut behind him.

_"Everything that's been happening lately," Hitoka started, "I think it's getting to him."_

_"I think so too."_

_"Did Tetsu do something to him?" The question made Koushi look up. "Did he hurt him?"_

_Not in the way you think, he thought to himself. "He's the only one who's ever been at Kei's level. I think he was just concerned."_

_"He looked even sadder when he left that rooftop. There was a paper or something, it was in his hand and he carefully put it into his pocket before I could ask."_

_"It's a lot to take in, for all of us."_

_Hitoka nodded, "you're right. But… just keep an eye out for him, Koushi. He's upset. I can tell. He just doesn't know it."_

_"I will, Hitoka. Thank you."_

Koushi took a seat, closing his eyes and allowed the world to fade away, for just a moment.

-

Kei blinked himself awake. The moonlight trickled through his window and bathed the room in dim light. He found a pair of golden eyes watching him sleepily.

"You're alive," his words were barely above a whisper. Kuroo smiled beside him.

"And you missed me."

"You ruined the moment."

"I thought it was pretty romantic," Kuroo leaned closer, an arm thrown over Kei's torso. "This feels kind of domestic. It's pretty nice, I have to say."

"Ah yes, a criminal mastermind who is supposed to be dead creeping into my bed at this hour."

"Now you've ruined the moment."

"You set the bar."

Kuroo swooned dramatically, "even in your own mind, you couldn't possibly entertain the act of being ordinary."

"Feigning ignorance in my head is an insult to my intellect."

"It was worth a shot."

"That's just it then. You're just a dream."

Kuroo tapped his forehead, "all up here, Kei."

His hand reached up to touch Kuroo's cheek before he closed the short distance between them. Kuroo's lips moved carefully against his own before Kei pulled away.

"What was that for?" Kuroo asked, but there was no mischief. No playfulness. Just quiet and soft curiosity.

Kei burrowed into the crook of Kuroo's neck, unable to look him in the eyes, "your lips looked cold."

Kuroo held him closer without any sly remark. They lied there, without a word between them. Just silence and shared warmth. For once, Kei's mind was still and he didn't mind. There was no need to rush. No need for a constant flux of questions and ideas. Just this nonexistent moment. Just these few minute long eternities with Tetsuro.

"Is this what romantic love is?" He asked against Tetsuro's skin.

"No," the reply came back just above the crown of his head, "no, I don't think it is. I don't think it could have ever been."

"And had we been normal? Would it have been then?"

He felt Tetsuro smile, "perhaps. Are you open to pretend?"

"No," he said. "This may not be love. We may never know what to call this. But it's happening. We're here. This, this is fine as it is."

He felt the chuckle reverberate in Kuroo's chest, 

"you're a lot braver than I am, Kei."

"Someone had to be."

"This won't last forever, you know that, right?" Tetsuro cupped his face and brought it up to his. "You're going to have to wake up eventually."

"And you're the one who wanted me to sleep more."

"To care for yourself. I'd like to say seeing me too often would be spoiling you, but in truth, it would hurt you. Won't it?"

Kei averted his eyes.

"As flattered as I am to be in your thoughts, everyone around you needs you. They're still looking out for you."

"You're far too soft to be a criminal mastermind."

Kuroo planted a kiss on the tip of his nose. "I am what you make of me, Tsukishima Kei."

Orange light draped itself over Kuroo's frame.

"The sun is coming up. You'll have to wake up soon."

"You won't be there."

"You're far too sappy to be a detective," Tetsuro held him a little tighter. "You'll find me when you find yourself."

"Just say I'll see you in my subconscious."

"You're no fun. I'm being poetic."

"Stop."

" _You'll find me under the light of the moon,"_ he said in Japanese.

"Can I wake up faster?"

Their eyes met as the sun came up. The dream was melting away. He found his hand intertwined with Tetsuro's.

Kei blinked himself awake, the space beside him remained cold and unfilled.

**Author's Note:**

> I will attempt to be sorry for hoodwinking you lot with not adding the major character death tag.
> 
> Anyways here's the info dump:
> 
> *Funfact 1: Tsukishima mistaking Hansel for Jack and Jill is a little take on Sherlock's selective memory. It may or may not also be a mistake I made in a Netflix Party chatroom while watching the scene with a friend.  
> *Funfact 2: you can interpret the scene wherein Kei tells Hitoka to abstain from any future attempts at a relationship as jealousy. This is more of a note to Sherlock fans who already know the context of the original scene.
> 
> Character to character-  
> \- Sherlock Holmes : Tsukishima Kei  
> \- John Watson : Sugawara Koushi  
> \- James (Jim) Moriarty : Kuroo Tetsuro  
> \- Mycroft Holmes : Tsukishima Akiteru  
> \- Lestrade : Daichi Sawamura  
> \- Anderson : Kageyama Tobio  
> \- Molly Hooper : Yachi Hitoka  
> \- Mrs Hudson : Takeda Ittetsu  
> And Kenma is just Kenma
> 
> I did try to match these characters with using their personalities (mainly MBTI) but I did end up just doing it for the shits and giggles. Especially Kageyama. Don't come at me it was funnier in my head. Anyways yes this meant Daichi was nicer that (looks at flashcard) Greg and Akiteru was less calculating than Mycroft. But he did have to be really smart for this AU. We don't know much about him so I pretty much just did wack shit and hoped for the best.
> 
> Also yes I subtly switched up the nationalities?? If you can call it that. They are still Japanese and it does take place in London so I couldn't give every person a substitute. Sorry Donovan. But if you're intrested then:
> 
> \- Tsuk, Akiteru, Yachi and Suga: half British half Japanese  
> \- Kuroo and Kenma: Japanese moved to Ireland  
> \- Daichi and Kageyama: Japanese raised in the UK  
> \- Takeda: Japanese, moved for work
> 
> That's about it? I mean I've probably thought abt more because this is just an amalgamation of the shit that goes on in my brain but yeah if you wanna geek about Sherlock and ask me about this AU then feel free too because it's 12am, this is my second attempt at uploading this because my broswer crashed and I left my laptop in the gaming room? Area? Yeah the attic was converted into a gaming room of sorts.
> 
> Anyways thank you for reading and I hoped you enjoyed it. I sold my sanity for this. Okay bye.


End file.
